Home » Democrats: Epic Fail
From: Arshad Hasan
Date: Sun, Aug 1, 2010 at 11:28 AM
Subject: Democrats: Epic Fail
DFA -
That's right, I said it -- Insider Democrats scored another epic fail.
I mean, just take a look at this headline in yesterday's New York Times -- "Plan to Aid 9/11 Victims Is Rejected in House."
Here's the best part -- the vote was 255-159 in favor of the bill. Now, I wasn't a math major, but 255 was bigger than 159 last I checked.
So, what happened? Democrats brought up the bill under special rules requiring two-thirds support to pass. So even though the bill had clear majority support, it still failed.
This isn't the sort of bold progressive leadership I fought for in 2006 and 2008. I worked to elect Democrats to get stuff done, but they keep letting Republicans trip them up with parliamentary tricks. I'm sick of it.
That's why here at DFA we don't support just any Democrat, we support Better Democrats. We support Democrats with backbone, who are willing to lead on the tough issues and get stuff done -- Democrats like Howard Dean and Alan Grayson. But we can't do it alone. We rely on small contributions from supporters across the country to get our work done. Contribute today to support our mission.
Help elect Democrats with backbone, leaders who know that 255 is bigger than 159 -- Contribute $10 right now.
Progressive legislation has been killed or watered down over and over again. The public option -- killed. Climate change legislation -- killed. Wall Street reform -- watered down. Now, Democrats are letting Republicans kill bills to help 9/11 victims.
In 2006, Insider Democrats told us to sit down and be quiet -- we needed to retake the Congress, even if it meant we weren't electing the most progressive candidates.
In 2008, Insider Democrats told us to sit down and be quiet -- we needed to retake the White House and get 60 votes in the Senate, even if it meant we weren't electing the most progressive candidates.
Well, now it's 2010 and it's time they learned DFA members aren't going to sit down and be quiet. We're not going to support candidates just because they have a "D" next to their name.
But if we're going to fire up progressives and elect a real, progressive majority then we need to start today. So here's the plan: We're going to put staff on the ground in critical states where our progressive primary challengers won, like Joe Sestak in Pennsylvania and Elaine Marshall in North Carolina. And we're going to work to elect progressives like Beth Krom in so-called "red" districts, just like we did with Alan Grayson in 2008.
Help elect a progressive majority with real backbone -- Contribute today.
I don't want to see headlines like that one in the New York Times again. I want to wake up on the day after Election Day and see "Progressives Win" in big, bold letters. Contribute today to help make it happen.
-Arshad
Arshad Hasan, Executive Director
Democracy for America
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From: Arshad Hasan
Date: Tue, Aug 3, 2010 at 11:53 AM
Subject: Blanche Lincoln is going to lose
DFA -
The email I sent out on Sunday created a huge response and some great conversations.
It was a difficult message: I'm tired of supporting weak-willed Democrats; I'm going to focus only on the progressives with a backbone. But I'm not backing down from what I said. It is simply a fact that too many Democrats failed progressives on the public option, on climate change and more.
That's why Democrats like Blanche Lincoln are going to lose this year. Blanche Lincoln worked day and night to kill the public option. The public option was popular with the people, but not with the corporations and big-money interests. Now, she's 20 points down in the polls.
But not all Democrats are going to lose. Just look at Elaine Marshall in North Carolina. She's a progressive champion running in the south in a year that's supposed to be terrible for Democrats. But she's beating an incumbent Republican Senator in the polls.
What's the difference between Blanche Lincoln and Elaine Marshall? People power.
When I said we're not going to fight for everyone with a "D" next to their name, I meant it. We're going to fight like hell for progressive leaders like Elaine Marshall -- Democrats with a record of fighting for the people and not the powerful. Corporate Democrats like Blanche Lincoln can fend for themselves.
Help elect a progressive majority that works for the people, not the powerful -- Contribute $10 now.
We have a plan to win this fall. We're putting staff on the ground in critical races across the country. We'll organize volunteers on the ground to make phone calls, knock on doors and get out the vote. It'll be our biggest investment in a mid-term election ever.
We're not just focusing on blue districts, either. We're working to elect progressive Democrats up and down the ballot in all 50 states -- Roxanne Conlin in Iowa, Ann McLane Kuster in New Hampshire, Beth Krom in California, Alan Grayson in Florida, and many more.
These are leaders who I know will stand up for us in Washington because they're already fighting for us on the ground in their home states. But, like I said on Sunday, we can't do it alone. We rely on small contributions from across the country to get the job done. Contribute today to help us elect a progressive majority.
Help put progressive fighters like Elaine Marshall, Joe Sestak, and Roxanne Conlin over the top -- contribute today.
In 2008, Insider Democrats told us we were crazy to support Democrats like Alan Grayson and Donna Edwards. They told us we didn't have a shot at winning. But we won thanks to you. Together, we will build a majority of progressives in Congress and in all 50 states. Contribute today to make it happen again.
-Arshad
Arshad Hasan, Executive Director
Democracy for America
Democracy for America relies on you and the people-power of more than one million members to fund the grassroots organizing and training that delivers progressive change on the issues that matter. Please Contribute Today and support our mission.
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